Can Frogs Give You Warts? (Real Risks)

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My grandmother always yelled at me to not play with my pet frog because it would give me warts. Warts are a common yet unpleasant skin infection that many people can experience over their lives, but I never got any warts from my pet frog, and there is a logical explanation as to why.

Frogs cannot give you warts since the virus that causes warts, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is not carried by frogs or toads. If you have warts you did not get them from an amphibian and should seek medical attention to tend to them.

Despite how common they are, most people do not know how they are formed. The most widespread theory is that people develop warts after coming into contact with a frogs. However, warts are spread through a virus, are usually harmless, and disappear on their own.

Warts! Can Touching a Frog, Toad or Their Pee Give You Warts?

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If you want to learn more about warts and why people think you can get them from a frog, read on. We’ll discuss what warts are, how they really spread, and where the myth of the warty frog probably came from. We also have a few wart treatment and prevention tips to share with you.

What are Warts?

Warts are a growth on the skin, usually on the hands or fingers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and are transmitted through touch. While generally harmless, warts can feel rough and have a pattern of black dots on them which are often clotted blood vessels.

When a person is exposed to the virus that causes warts, it can take as long as six months for warts to form. They can disappear on their own, but there are also treatments to decrease the time it takes for them to fade away.

Warts on the hands and fingers are called common warts, but warts can appear anywhere on the body. Since some strains of HPV transmitted sexually, warts on the genitals are also relatively common. Another common type of warts is plantar warts, which grow on the soles of the feet (CTNF).

Can Frogs Give You Warts?

Warts are spread between humans by a virus only humans can contract. Therefore, frogs cannot give you warts. However, if you touch a frog or frog, depending on the species, you may develop symptoms from their skin secretions or poison.

Some frogs and frogs are poisonous, frog urine can have bacteria in it, and a frog’s skin can carry diseases like salmonella. However, developing symptoms from touching a frog or frog, interacting with their urine or poison will not develop into warts.

The bumps that are seen on the back of a some frog species are sometimes called warts but are not the same as those that humans can develop. The idea that a person can get warts from frogs is an old myth. It probably comes from the similarity between the bumps on a frog’s back and the appearance of a wart on a human. People thought that if you picked up a frog, you would develop bumps like the ones on the frog. They didn’t know that these bumps are glands, not warts.

Many old health superstitions were formed before people knew about germs and contagions. Since viruses like HPV were unknown and people didn’t understand the link between disease and cleanliness, handwashing after handling animals was not the norm that it is today. It’s not surprising that people would look to nature and wildlife for the cause of their ailments.

Warts Are Transmitted Through Human Contact

HPV is a highly contagious virus and the most common warts are generally spread from one person to another by contact. This could be by shaking hands, walking barefoot in a location where someone else had warts, or sharing objects such as towels.

The virus will look for an easy way to enter your system, usually through a cut in the skin or a hangnail. Nail biters may also see warts form around nails and on fingertips. People have different levels of immune responses, so not everyone who is exposed to the HPV virus will develop warts.

When the virus is in a person’s system, it infects the top layer of skin and this is where the wart forms. It can form quickly or can take several months. It is possible to spread warts across your own body by touching the wart and another part of your body. If you notice a wart on your body, you should contact a qualified medical professional in your area to begin treatment to prevent spread.

Warts Are Treatable And Preventable

Warts may be common and go away on their own, but that does not mean that you want to have to deal with them. If you are prone to developing warts, here are some ways you can get rid of them and prevent them from coming back.

Wart Treatment Options

Most warts will eventually go away on their own, but if you want to speed the process up, you have several treatments available.

Consult a Pharmacist: Ask your local, qualified pharmacist for over-the-counter wart remover. If you go to the pharmacy, you will see different types of wart removers, including ones that will freeze the wart off, sticks that will minimize warts, and gels that can remove the wart. These are all effective methods of getting rid of warts, so get help from the pharmacist to know which one would be best for your needs.
Seeing a Doctor: You should consult a Doctor, especially if your warts are spreading, are becoming painful, do not disappear on their own, or they become bothersome and hinder your everyday life. A Doctor will be able to diagnose the wart. The most common way a doctor will treat your wart is by surgically removing it. Medicinal injections are another treatment.

Warts can be unsightly and unpleasant, but these treatment options will help get rid of them quicker than waiting for them to heal themselves.

Wart Prevention Options

Although warts are treatable, the best thing you can do is to prevent them from forming in the first place. There are some simple changes you can make that will stop warts from showing up.

Avoid Warts: This may be easier said than done, especially if a wart takes a long time to form, but if you see a wart on someone or yourself, just don’t touch it. The virus is strongest at the site of the wart and will therefore spread easiest by touch.
Do Not Pick at Warts: This can spread the infection since they are highly contagious. If other parts of your body come in contact with a wart, you will likely develop a new one.
Cover Them With Bandages: This is one way to prevent yourself from accidentally spreading them.
Do Not Share Grooming Utensils: Do not use the same nail file, clippers, or other grooming tools on your warts which could spread them on your body and on others.
Do Not Bite Your Fingernails. Biting your nails or nibbling the skin surrounding the nail can open and break the skin, leaving more room for viruses and bacteria to enter.
Do Not Walk Barefoot in Wet Areas: To avoid getting warts on your feet, always make sure to wear shoes or flip flops in public areas with wet floors, such as locker rooms, swimming pool decks, and public showers.
Seek Medical Attention: Talk to your Doctor or pharmacist to find out how to get rid of your warts

HPV is very contagious, but if you take these measures to prevent warts, you should see results (CTNF).

More Resources About Frogs And Warts

Frogs are fascinating creatures that have gotten a bad rap for years when it comes to warts. Now that you know that people cannot get warts from frogs, you can spread this information (like a wart ^^). Not only will people stop blaming frogs, but they can also learn the real cause of warts and ways to treat and prevent them.

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Check out our other resources that debunk frog and frog myths:

Common Questions Related to Frog Warts

Can Frogs Give You Warts? Frogs cannot give you warts because the virus that causes warts, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), is not carried by frogs. If you have warts you did not get them from a frog and should seek medical attention.

What Are The Bumps on The Back of a Frog? The bumps on the back of some frog species are generally referred to as warts, but are actually glands that help frogs defend themselves, and are not the same as the warts humans can contact. Humans can contract warts from HPV, not from frogs.

Can Frog Pee Give You Warts? Frogs pee cannot give you warts because the virus that causes warts, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), is not carried by frogs or their urine. If you have warts you did not get them from a frog and should seek medical attention.

Why Do Frogs Pee on You? Frogs may urinate on you if they are afraid or feel in danger. Frogs and frogs generally urinate to defend themselves from predators.

Sources

Mayo Clinic: Common Warts – Symptoms And Causes

NCBI: Warts Overview